INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its search locally for escaped murder suspect 52-year-old Rondell Reed, while federal agencies search nationwide. Authorities initiated a grid search west of the jail in the Gifford area trying to collect more evidence.
“We’re not confident he has left the area,” Sheriff Deryl Loar said Wednesday afternoon of Reed.
Investigators have been interviewing the 17 other high risk inmates housed in the same cellblock as Reed and his fellow escapee, Leviticus Taylor, 25, who was captured Monday evening.
“They have been cooperative,” Sheriff Loar said, declining to elaborate on what information investigators have been able to glean from the interviews.
Based on information from the inmates, as well as from Taylor and two women accused of helping Taylor flee to Martin County, the Sheriff’s Office began searching an area of Gifford immediately west of the jail.
Sheriff Loar did not say what evidence had been collected but that they were looking for articles and other items that might help authorities learn more about the escape. He mentioned that some of the evidence might point to clothing that had been hanging on a clothesline but is now missing.
Both Reed and Taylor took off their red inmate jumpsuits prior to leaving the jail facility, and presumably, found clothing elsewhere during their escape.
Sheriff Loar said his office is continuing to receive numerous leads, all of which are being run down. So far, though, there have been no confirmed sightings of Reed.
“Rondell Reed is our primary concern,” Sheriff Loar said, later adding, “We will not rest until Rondell Reed is in jail.”
Sheriff Loar would not speak to Reed’s medical condition or say what medication or medications Reed is taking, though the information could be released later.
He said that information could help the community better identify Reed and help authorities capture him.
Reed is a 52-year-old white male with gray hair and brown eyes standing 5 feet 11 inches and weighing 180 pounds. He has numerous tattoos on his hands, wrists and arms.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call 911.
